Reynolds and McElhenney mock Southampton's Spygate scandal in video ahead of Championship clash

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took aim at Southampton’s ‘Spygate’ scandal this week, releasing a satirical video on Wrexham’s social media channels ahead of Saturday’s Championship fixture at the Racecourse Ground.

The clip, which promotes shirt sponsor Firefox under the banner of online privacy, sees Reynolds emerge from behind a tree — a direct nod to photographs published last season of a Southampton intern covertly watching a Middlesbrough training session. McElhenney, creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, sets up the joke by explaining the video will address “how to prevent spies from seeing what you’re doing.”

Southampton were expelled from the Championship play-off final and docked four points after the intern was caught observing Middlesbrough’s preparations ahead of their semi-final. Investigations also uncovered similar incidents involving Oxford and Ipswich earlier in that campaign — all three clubs are name-dropped pointedly by Reynolds and McElhenney in the video.

Reynolds jokes about searching online for “how to run a football club” before the pair stress that privacy is “important to people everywhere,” listing the three affected clubs with barely concealed glee. The skit closes with Reynolds declaring Wrexham “an organisation that actually respects your privacy,” as both owners peer at a smartphone allegedly showing a Southampton pickleball team in training.

It is not the first time Wrexham have needled their opponents over the affair. When the fixture was announced as the final game before the international break, the club posted match details with a spy emoji and a calendar reminder to “Check Training Ground” for unauthorised visitors.

Southampton supporters have faced similar treatment elsewhere. At Watford on the opening weekend, home fans and even the club mascot joined in, with the mascot peering around a goalpost and mimicking the use of binoculars.

On the pitch, the two sides arrive at the Racecourse Ground in contrasting form. Wrexham sit 19th after seven fixtures, while Southampton — despite absorbing their four-point deduction — have climbed to ninth on 10 points.